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Shelby Focus ST bows in the Motor City

2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake Wide Body live in Detroit 15.01.013

Style without the performance

Shelby American has taken the wraps off the 2013 Shelby Focus ST.

Designed to deliver performance on a budget, the model is equipped with a ventilated hood, hydro-carbon grille inserts and a rear spoiler. Customers can also order three different graphics packages that include everything from traditional stripes to a checkered flag motif.

Interior changes are limited but the cabin has a Shelby shifter and a unique Shelby CSM badge.

Sadly there isn't much to report on the performance front as the car gains beefier brakes, a lowered suspension and a Borla exhaust system. There's also new wheels and tires which "improve grip and traction."

The Shelby Focus ST package starts at $14,995 and only 500 units will be built annually.

In related news, the company introduced a wide body package for the GT500 Super Snake. It enables the model to be equipped with rear tires that are up to 13 inches wide.

Shelby American, Inc. unveiled today its new 850 horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake “Wide Body” as well as the new performance tuned Shelby Focus ST at the North American International Auto Show. The two cars represent bookends in the lineup of high performance vehicles available from Shelby American.

“Carroll Shelby’s innovative and aggressive hot-rodder spirit lives on at Shelby American today. ” said John Luft, president of Shelby American. “His Cobra redefined the sports car genre and then Shelby turned what some called a ‘secretary’s car’, the Mustang, into the fire-breathing GT350. A few years later, Shelby practically invented the American ‘pocket-rocket’ with the four-cylinder turbocharged, front wheel drive Shelby GLH. This year, we’re returning to our roots with a pair of game-changing cars that will rewrite the rules for American performance.”

Shelby American takes the stock 662 horsepower 2013 GT500 and boosts its performance to a street-legal 850 horsepower while keeping it 50 state emissions legal and tuned on 91 octane pump gas. Adding Shelby’s new Wide Body option puts all that power to the pavement, and the rest is history.

“Now with 13 inch rear and 10 inch front wheels that are wrapped in serious rubber, the car launches and handles like the super car it is,” added Gary Davis, vice president of production at Shelby American. The optional wide body package isn’t just a cosmetic change, it now gives the Super Snake much more traction and makes it easy to exploit the Shelby’s potential right past the competition.”

Customers can choose between Satin Black, Gloss White, Silver, Blue and Red stripes. Offered now for the first time, wheel options include a rear-only or front and rear “wide body” packages.

Even though the new Wide Body Super Snake will have the chops to lead the muscle car pack, it is the return of Carroll Shelby’s beloved “Pocket Rocket” that may be the biggest news in Detroit.

“Carroll Shelby ignored critics who said the turbo four Omni couldn’t be an affordable performance car in the 1980s,” noted Gary Patterson, vice president of Operations/Sales. “He proved them wrong with an impressive, lightweight four cylinder performer. Ford Motor Company’s new Focus ST is the perfect platform for the rebirth of the front wheel drive turbo four cylinder Shelby. It is a car that Carroll wanted to build before his passing and is a worthy successor to his ‘Pocket-Rocket’ GLH.”

Designed in the Shelby skunkworks and tested extensively at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the front wheel drive Shelby Focus ST is a driver-focused masterpiece of performance with a budget minded price.

New Ford Racing suspension pieces lower the car while the wheels and tires improve grip and traction. The bigger Shelby spec brakes with drilled rotors enhance the stopping power; along with the sound of the Shelby/Borla exhaust makes it uniquely Shelby. Inside, the car has a complete Shelby branded custom interior, Shelby shifter and finished off with the unique Shelby CSM badge. On the outside, the Shelby is easily identified by its functional hood vents, hydro-carbon front and rear grille inserts, Shelby lettering and rear Hydro-carbon spoiler. Three visual graphics packages are offered, ranging from “traditional” Shelby stripes to more edgy Shelby checkered flag splash or competition graphics. Under the hood, Shelby American adds stylish hydro-carbon components and is developing an optional performance tune expected to significantly increase horsepower.

The post-title package for the 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake starts at $28,995 (662 hp) and $39,995 (850 hp). The wide body option adds another $17,995, not including the base GT500. The 2013 Shelby Focus ST post-title package begins at $14,995 not including the Ford Focus ST and will be limited to 500 per model year.

Shelby American is now accepting orders for the limited edition cars. Interested parties should contact their sales team at (702) 942-7325 or visit www.shelbyamerican.com.

This is nice.. a bit odd, but nonetheless nice.. It's a pity that it is just a disguise. It has the looks, but it lacks the performance to back it up. It will sell well.. Good marketing. It won't fool everybody though..